Parents' Evening - What should you learn in your appointment?

Dear Parents/Carers,

Shortly, information and booking links for upcoming parents' evenings will be available. These slots are your "official" opportunities to learn about your child's progress and attainment. 

But what should you leave your session knowing? Read on to find out:

What should you leave knowing?

> Is my child happy? This is ultimately what we want to know about our children - do they present as happy, confident, enthusiastic and keen to learn in school?

> Is my child on track to achieve Age Related Expectations (ARE)? ARE is the benchmark of achievement decided by the government that children should meet as they progress through Primary School. You should leave your appointment knowing whether you child is working at, above, below or significantly below ARE, for Reading, Writing and Maths. If your child is working significantly below ARE, for example they're in year 4 but working at year 3 level, this should be explicitly communicated with you.

> What can I do to support my child's learning at home? All teachers will be happy to share specific activities that would help your child's learning. 

> Is my child making progress? All children, at whatever level they're working, are expected to make progress in their learning, and it is important this is communicated with you. If your child has additional needs and is on the SEND register, you will also be invited to a separate parents' evening to discuss specific targets.

> How has my child performed in assessments? You should be informed how your child has performed in their assessments, and how this compares with their performance in class. 

> How is my child developing socially with their peers? Not only is children's academic progress and attainment important, but we want them to develop strong and positive friendships. 

> What is my child's behaviour like, in class and at breaktimes? We greatly value parents' support in managing children's behaviour, so sharing this information is very important. 

> Is my child going to pass their SATs? All children in year six sit SATs at the end of year six. You should leave your appointment with a prediction of how your child may perform, based on their previous scores throughout the year.

> Is my Reception child going to meet their Early Learning Goals? If your child is in Reception, you should learn whether they are on track or not to achieve a Good Level of Development, and how you can support them at home. 

What information will NOT be shared with you?

> How is my child comparing in relation to other children in the class? We don't "rank" or order children, nor would be share this information for confidentiality reasons.

> What are you putting in place for another child? We don't share any information about provision made for other children.

Teachers are encouraged to reach out to you at any point in the year if there are concerns about any of the areas above -  not just parents' evening. Equally, our doors are open and we are happy to share information about your child at any point. 

If you have any further queries about Parents' Evening, please do get in touch. 

Kind regards,

Miss E Wilson

Headteacher